Multicall Telephone System

ABSTRACT

A Multicall telephony system includes a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium, the appliance connected to a telephony network, and a server connected to the network, the server executing second SW from a non-transitory medium. A user selects a plurality of contacts stored on the computerized communication appliance and initiates a first call to the server which is accompanied by data transmission including at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts, and the server, in response, establishes second calls with the selected contacts, and connects answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/526,056 filed Aug. 22, 2011, which is incorporated in this application in its entirety at least by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is in the technical area of telephony, and pertains more particularly to enabling multiple calls with a single initiation.

2. Description of Related Art

In current art a telephone essentially allows one person to call another. It is a one-to-one communication instrument. Bust most interactions today require more than two people in the conversation, be it going to lunch with friends or a family dinner or a business conference.

There are indeed conferencing systems well-known in the art, wherein a plurality of persons may be connected, but these do not serve the purpose of a situation where a person might wish to communicate quickly with the same group of people in the same manner of calling one person.

What is clearly needed is a system wherein a person may call a plurality of people in one call by a system of hardware and software.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the invention a Multicall telephony system is provided, comprising a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium, the appliance connected to a telephony network, and a server connected to the network, the server executing second SW from a non-transitory medium. A user selects a plurality of contacts stored on the computerized communication appliance and initiates a first call to the server which is accompanied by data transmission including at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts, and the server, in response, establishes second calls with the selected contacts, and connects answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.

In one embodiment the first SW enables the user to associate a code or a name with the selected contacts, and to store the selected contacts in the communication appliance as a group, allowing the user subsequently to select the code or name to initiate a Multicall to the selected contacts.

In another embodiment the first call is connected to an operator, and the selected contacts names and telephone numbers or IP addresses are displayed to the operator in an interactive display, such that the operator my communicate with the user and aid in completion of outgoing calls and conferencing of completed calls.

In another aspect of the invention a method for establishing a telephone conference is provided, comprising the steps of (a) selecting two or more contacts in a contact list by a user operating a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium; (b) initiating a first call by the computerized communication appliance to a server executing second SW, and transmitting with the first call at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts; (c) establishing second calls by the server to the selected contacts; and (d) connecting answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.

In one embodiment of the method the first SW enables the user to associate a code or a name with the selected contacts, and to store the selected contacts in the communication appliance as a group, allowing the user subsequently to select the code or name to initiate a Multicall to the selected contacts.

In an alternative embodiment of the method the first call is connected to an operator, and the selected contacts names and telephone numbers or IP addresses are displayed to the operator in an interactive display, such that the operator my communicate with the user and aid in completion of outgoing calls and conferencing of completed calls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an architectural diagram illustrating organization and practice of the invention in one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a simple diagram illustrating operations in placing a Multicall in an embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an architectural diagram illustrating organization and practice of the invention in one embodiment. Functions of the invention are partly centered in an Internet-connected server 100, executing software (SW) 101 from a non-transitory medium, also communicating with a data repository 102 which may store user profiles, configurations and the like. In some embodiments users may be clients of a service provided by server 100, which manages telephone calls both in the Internet and through land-line phones connected via gateways not (not shown). In other embodiments the users are not clients, except as they may maintain an account at a wireless telephony service provider or even a land-line service provider.

Multicalls in one embodiment of the invention are placed by users using smartphones 112 operating through a cellular network 133 via base stations 114 and a gateway 115 via path 116 to Internet 104, hence to server 100 running software (SW) 101. Calls may be madethrough server 100 to other cellular telephones, to land line telephones 130 in PSTN 127 via lines 131, to telephony-enabled computer devices 117 running SW 118 connected to the Internet through an Intenet Service Provider (ISP) 120 via lines 119 and 121 to Intenet backbone 103, aor to such as pad devices 122 enabled for telephony, operating through WiFi networks and gateways 124 via path 125. In some embodiments all of these sorts of devices, enabled for telephony, may also place Multicalls in embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates placement of a Multicall by a user with a smartphone 112-1 with a single input in one embodiment of the invention. The smartphone 112-1 in this example executes software (SW) 123, which provides specific functionality to the person operating the telephone. Using smartphone 112-1 executing SW 123 the user may, for example, access his or her address book (contact list) 203, select several contacts and create a group consisting of his close family, for example. In this example the user has selected Mother, Father, Uncle Sam and Aunt Lila in the address book. The user than enters a code, in this case *96, and SW 123 associates the four contacts as a Family group associated with the code *96. Anytime he wishes to speak to his family as a group he can enter the code *96 and press the Go button 202. His phone then places call 201 to server 100. Smartphone 112-1 sends data along with the call by any known data transmission technology available, such as through a data channel or in-band, and the data sent with the call includes in a preferred embodiment the names of the family members that have been selected as a part of the group, and the telephone numbers or iP addresses of each person in the group (associated with the name). Server 100 uses the data sent with the originating call to dial out each of the group members, such as to smartphone 112-2 by call 205, landline telephone 130 by call 206, and to iPad device 122 by call 207, and connects the dialed out calls as answered to the original call 201, creating thereby a conference between the original user and the family members in the group.

In another embodiment it is not necessary that the user create a group and store it, but the user may select any combination of names with telephone numbers or iP addresses in his or her telephone, and then initiate the call by Go 202, which as previously described, will place call 201 to server 100 and send the necessary data along, which the server will use (executing SW 101) to dial out the selected calls and connect answered calls to the original call, creating a conference.

In some cases the operating SW 123 on an initiating device may be firmware or SW provided by the device manufacturer. In other cases such SW may be added to the communication device.

Also in some embodiments there may be a live operator associated with the server with access to Multicalls. This provides agent-assisted Multicalls, such that the user may be provided services of a live agent to assist in the call. In this embodiment call 201 to the server is picked up by a the live agent, who will see the names and the telephone numbers, or other destination addresses, on her monitor. For example, one or more called parties in a Multicall may not answer. The operator can inform the initiating user of such problems and assist in their resolution. There may be other difficulties with which a live operator may deal.

Calls to the bridge from various communication devices in different embodiments of the invention can be through the data channel, internet, SMS, or voice call with characters passed in a string with appropriate separating syntax. When the caller disconnects, all the calls are disconnected. The user may also elect to let the others continue in the call without him by appropriate settings or real time commands through the channels.

As a further example, 3 You can dial Multicall works in a land line too. In this example the network has allotted #123 as a multi call code. The user, using a land line telephone can dial the code and telephone numbers in a string, separated by a delimiter, say *, as #123 831 726 1452*917 464 5649*309 693 0900*212 564 4500. The server will dial the four numbers in a multi call, and connect the calls in a conference.

In yet another embodiment the user might use his smartphone, executing SW 123, to enunciate DTMF tones, such that the user may use the smartphone to control a call over the land line by holding the speaker of the smartphone near the microphone of the landline telephone. The user may save a Multicall code and string as a speed dial in a landline telephone, and the telephone can dial the string through in-band signaling and initiate the Multicall.

Multicall according to embodiments of the present invention is applicable to peer-to-peer systems like Skype™ and Google Talk™ as well.

It will be apparent to a skilled person that the several embodiments described above do not limit the invention, as many of the features and functions described might be performed in any one of several different ways. In different embodiments different features may be present, and others not. Variations of this sort are within the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims that follow. 

1. A Multicall telephony system, comprising: a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium, the appliance connected to a telephony network; and a server connected to the network, the server executing second SW from a non-transitory medium; wherein a user selects a plurality of contacts stored on the computerized communication appliance and initiates a first call to the server which is accompanied by data transmission including at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts, and the server, in response, establishes second calls with the selected contacts, and connects answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first SW enables the user to associate a code or a name with the selected contacts, and to store the selected contacts in the communication appliance as a group, allowing the user subsequently to select the code or name to initiate a Multicall to the selected contacts.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first call is connected to an operator, and the selected contacts names and telephone numbers or IP addresses are displayed to the operator in an interactive display, such that the operator my communicate with the user and aid in completion of outgoing calls and conferencing of completed calls.
 4. A method for establishing a telephone conference, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting two or more contacts in a contact list by a user operating a computerized communication appliance executing first software (SW) from a non-transitory medium; (b) initiating a first call by the computerized communication appliance to a server executing second SW, and transmitting with the first call at least the names and telephone numbers or IP addresses of the selected contacts; (c) establishing second calls by the server to the selected contacts; and (d) connecting answered second calls to the first call, creating a conference between the user and the selected contacts.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first SW enables the user to associate a code or a name with the selected contacts, and to store the selected contacts in the communication appliance as a group, allowing the user subsequently to select the code or name to initiate a Multicall to the selected contacts.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first call is connected to an operator, and the selected contacts names and telephone numbers or IP addresses are displayed to the operator in an interactive display, such that the operator my communicate with the user and aid in completion of outgoing calls and conferencing of completed calls. 